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Tape Reviews
Today in Wrestling History (Sept. 1)
Posted by Jared "JHawk" Hawkins on Sep 1, 2002, 09:17
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Today in Wrestling History (9/1/2002)
by Jared "JHawk" Hawkins
As much fun as the on-site reports and the interview with Danny Doring were last week, it feels terrific to finally be back on the normal schedule. Once again, a special thank you for all the positive feedback from the hectic last two weeks, as it is greatly appreciated.
And to clarify something I said while working on SmackDown this week, a few of you questioned my comment of RVD being Raw's last marketable superstar by asking "What about Booker T?" Well, I like Booker, I'll agree he's better on the mic than RVD, and in-ring wise they both have a tremendous upside. But as long as Booker's teaming with Goldust, he's going to have the "tag team wrestler" stigma attached to him, and WWE has a long history of dropping the ball with a "tag team wrestler". Granted, most of that history revolves around at least three or four Billy Gunn pushes. Anyway, RVD has this way of keeping an audience glued to his matches, and if you ever followed ECW closely, you'll know there are plenty of ways to market RVD. Some of them don't even involve "4:20" references.
Anyway, if you're reading this, you probably don't want a dissertation about marketing, so let's get to it. With all of the complaining made by me (and others) about spears with an injured shoulder and superkicks while standing on a bad leg, I found something that might just serve as a lesson for guys like Edge and Rikishi. Ten years ago today, the WWF Title changed hands.
The story so far: January 19, 1992: Ric Flair lasts over an hour to win the Royal Rumble. The feat also earns him the vacant WWF Title.
Within a week, the WWF announces a WrestleMania main event of Ric Flair vs. Hulk Hogan. However, Sid Justice turns on Hogan on a Saturday Night's Main Event taping, and the main event is changed to Hogan vs. Sid and Flair vs. Randy Savage. Immediately, Flair begins playing mind games with Savage, claiming that he dated Elizabeth, at the time Savage's wife, in the mid-80s, and he has photos to prove it. Of course, Savage and Elizabeth claim the photos were doctored, but that doesn't stop Flair from claiming he has a "centerfold" of Elizabeth that he'll show the world after WrestleMania.
April 5, 1992: Savage wins the WWF Title at WrestleMania VIII, pinning Flair with a roll up and a handful of tights. The "centerfold" isn't shown, but Flair does kiss Elizabeth after the match, which enrages Savage even more.
During the spring and summer, they wrestle a series of matches at house shows that settle nothing, like is usually the case with house shows. Of course, Savage and Elizabeth divorce in real life around this time, so the point of the feud is shot. But never fear. The SummerSlam main event is announced: Savage defending the WWF Title against...The Ultimate Warrior. Flair is furious, as he is not even on the card. Then the rumors start. Mr. Perfect, Flair's "administrative assistant", will be at ringside for the SummerSlam title match. Warrior and Savage are each convinced that Mr. Perfect will be in the opposite corner.
August 29, 1992: As promised, Mr. Perfect is at ringside in the title match. So is Ric Flair. In one of the more original angles the WWF did at the time, it was simply another case of mind games, as Perfect and Flair each get cheap shots on each man, being careful not to let the Warrior and Savage know what's going on. Savage, however, gets ready for the Flying Elbow, but realizes he didn't do anything to knock Warrior out, so he jumps after Flair. Flair, however, sees Savage coming and hits him in the knee with a steel chair. Savage is counted out, so he retains the title, but his knee is injured in the process.
Without any further ado: We go back to September 1, 1992, and Hershey, Pennsylvania's Hersheypark Arena, and a taping of WWF Superstars (although this match aired exclusively on the 9/14/1992 edition of WWF Prime Time Wrestling).
Before our main event, Mean Gene Okerlund interviews Savage about the events of SummerSlam. The interview focuses on how Savage's knee was injured by Flair once Savage figured out exactly what Flair and Perfect were up to. Soon, however, the interview is interrupted by Razor Ramon, who's working maybe his third round of WWF TV tapings at this point. Razor tells Savage he wants the title and that he is the only true "Macho Man" in the WWF and tosses his toothpick into Savage's face. Savage says "I think you dropped your toothpick" and bends down like he's going to pick it up, but comes up and levels Razor with a hard right hand. WWF Officials are quickly there to separate the two before it can become any more volatile.
One fall for the WWF Title: The Man (WHOO!--w/Mr. Perfect) vs. Randy Savage (champion)
Your broadcasters are Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and Vince McMahon. A very simple story is being told in the early going. Savage's knee is still hurt from SummerSlam, and he's limping, so he's trying to keep his distance from Flair. Perfect, meanwhile, is trying to hook Savage's ankle from outside the ring everytime Savage gets within arm's reach. Flair, of course, is immediately targetting the injured knee everytime Perfect distracts Savage. Flair eventually traps Savage in the corner and goes after the left knee. Savage quickly gets in a few shots and is on the run again. Flair with a takedown and a figure-four attempt, but Savage kicks off and starts backtracking again. Flair again gets Savage in the corner and works over the knee. Savage gets in a press slam, but he immediately favors the knee. Flair attempts the hiptoss, but Savage slickly counters with an abdominal stretch. However, Savage's knee is unprotected, so Flair works it over to break the hold. Flair walks into a clothesline, and Savage slowly covers for 2. Flair back to the leg, and he takes Savage down with a delayed vertical suplex and covers for 2. Flair with an elbowdrop and a cover for 2. They trade blows in the corner, and Perfect hooks Savage's ankle to make sure Savage can't leave the corner. So subtle, and yet it adds so much to the match. Flair with a back suplex for 2. Flair with a half crab, but Savage quickly gets to the ropes for the break. Flair with a bodyslam and a kneedrop. Savage rolls to the corner, and Flair quickly into a legscissors. Savage to the ropes for the break. When Flair goes to grab him, Savage hooks an inside cradle for 2. Flair quickly recovers and throws Flair over the top rope, and we go to commercial.
We return where we left off, as Flair leaves the ring to go after Savage and rolls him back in. Savage begins a comeback and takes Flair over the top rope with a series of clotheslines. Savage goes to the floor after Flair and throws the challenger into the guardrail. Savage with a bodyslam (which hurts his leg) and goes for a chair, but referee Earl Hebner keeps him from using it. Savage backdrops Flair on the floor, sends him into the guardrail, and then into the ring. Savage up top, and he hits a flying axhandle, but he immediately clutches the knee. Meanwhile, down to ringside comes Razor Ramon. Perfect trips up Savage, Flair dropkicks Savage out of the ring, and Flair distracts Hebner. Razor comes from behind and kicks Savage's knee. Heenan brings up the earlier interview. Flair brings Savage back into the ring, and he immediately puts Savage into the Figure-Four Leglock. Savage refuses to quit and fights the hold for nearly three minutes, but he finally passes out from the pain and is pinned at 15:58 aired. Flair becomes the first man to win the NWA and WWF Titles twice. Good match that wasn't the classic it should have been with Savage's "injured" knee, but some excellent psychology. Edge and Rikishi should take notes for the next time they get into the ring with Eddy Guerrero. **3/4
Postmatch, Razor is back out, and he continues the punishment to Savage's knee by draping it over the apron and into the ringpost. He then enters the ring and continues the beatdown, with Savage's only defense being grabbing Razor's ankle and hoping he stops throwing punches. It takes four referees, Tony Garea, and Rene Goulet to finally pull Razor off of Savage. Savage literally gets one shot in during this entire sequence. Officials try to help Savage to the back, but Savage keeps falling down. Finally, The Ultimate Warrior comes to the ring in his street clothes and carries Savage to the back.
Aftermath: This was supposed to set up the Ric Flair/Razor Ramon-Randy Savage/Ultimate Warrior main event for Survivor Series, but Warrior threw one of his classic hissy fits and walked out two weeks before the show. Everything ended up working for the best, as they scrambled but came up with a great angle that led to Mr. Perfect turning face to team with Savage at that pay-per-view. This led to a way too short feud between Flair and Perfect before Flair finally returned to WCW.
And the beauty with this feud was its simplicity. Savage's knee is hurt, so work on it. Savage is in the wrong corner, so have the second trip him. Savage punched Razor earlier, so use it to cost Savage the title and start a new feud. No bulldogs, no hot cups of coffee, no general managers, no explanation necessary.
I have no idea what I'm doing next for this column yet, but I do know I'll be back for Raw Monday as we return everything to its natural order in the universe. Join me then, won't you?
Until Raw, feel free to give me your opinion.
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